


Somebody I Used to Know

by harlequinblue



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Other, Songfic, ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-16
Updated: 2015-12-16
Packaged: 2018-05-07 02:56:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5440919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harlequinblue/pseuds/harlequinblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In an alternate universe where Jack and Gwen break all the hearts while giving closure at the same time by actually getting together instead of dancing around each other and causing pain and insecurity for their respective significant others, Ianto and Rhys bond over alcohol and depressing break up songs. </p><p>(This happened because I am an actual trashcan)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Somebody I Used to Know

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, there is no excuse for this. I wrote it a couple years ago when I was still an active Torchwood fan.
> 
> Second of all, have a vintage author's note circa 2012!  
> This plot bunny attacked me after I watched (and yelled at) Something Borrowed. That same day I heard the song Somebody I Used to Know by Gotye. I was feeling indignant on behalf of Ianto and Rhys and this happened. Yes, I have just committed song fic. My first ever completed story and its song fic. *hangs head in shame* 
> 
> Third of all, I am so so sorry.

Rhys Williams was not generally given to introspection. Particularly not while he was drunk. It just left him feeling maudlin and sorry for himself which in turn led to more alcohol consumption and feeling even worse the next day. But he felt, given the circumstances, that he was entitled to a bit of a wallow in self pity. It might be pathetic but it was better than letting his anger get the best of him and going after someone with a hatchet. That would only land him in jail and quite frankly, he just didn’t have the arse to be somebody’s bitch.

He should have seen this coming. The signs had been there for months, ever since Gwen had started working for Torchwood. And met bloody Captain Jack bleeding Harkness.

Bitter? You bet your ass.

He finished off his second beer. Hell, but he was pathetic. Drinking alone and wallowing in misery. It was inevitable she should leave him, really. What did he actually have to offer? Him, a boring, slightly stout about the tum Welshman who ran a lorry business, for pete’s sake. Next to the bloody mysterious, heroic Captain he was a nobody. He needed another drink. And some depressing music. He was sodding heartbroken! He deserved a little depressing music. Trudging over to the stereo,  he shoved in a CD and went to get another beer.

Which is when the doorbell rang because of course it would.

Changing course he stomped to the door, cursing all the way. If it was another salesman he was really going to tell them where they could shove their 30% off-if-you-buy-now vacuum cleaners.

He glared through the peephole.

Fuck.

It was that Ianto Jones bloke who worked with Gwen at Torchwood. He yanked open the door and prepared to let loose then stopped short once he got a look at the man’s face. He looked a bit sheepish but his eyes were red rimmed and he’d obviously been crying.

Hang on a mo.

Handn’t Gwen mentioned at one point that Jack and Ianto had a thing? Damn, the poor boy probably felt as bad as he did, if not worse. At least he didn’t have to see the two of them every day at work.

He still wasn't in the mood to be nice, though.

“What do you want,” he demanded brusquely.

Ianto fidgeted with bag in his hand.

“Umm, Jac- I mean, I came to pick up the rest of Gwen’s stuff. She said she left some CDs and books,” he said stiffly, not quite disguising the break in his voice.

“Oh, they sent you, did they? Didn’t have the guts to come and get it herself, did she? Well, you can tell her that if she wants her shit she can come get it and face me herself instead of bein’ a coward and sendin’ you!” he exploded.

Ianto kept his eyes on the floor. “Please,” he said softly, “I don’t want to be here anymore than you want me here.”

Rhys deflated. It wasn’t Ianto’s fault. He shouldn’t take it out on him. Bollocks. Now he felt guilty. That boy was way too good at the kicked puppy look.

 

He sighed and waved a hand tiredly. “Fine. Come in. Get it over with.”

 

He turned and led the way into the living room, gesturing at the shelves. “That’s where she kept her stuff.”

 

He wandered over to the stereo and turned it back up.

 

_~Now you’re just somebody that I used to know~_

 

Ianto raised an eyebrow. “Gotye?”

 

“On bloody repeat,” Rhys stabbed said button viciously. “It seemed appropriate.”

 

He went the fridge and grabbed a third beer. He took a swig and sang along quietly, “ _Told myself that you were right for me, but felt so lonely in your company. But that was love and it’s an ache I still remember….._ ”

 

Smiled self-deprecatingly, he sat down on the couch letting his head drop back to stare at the ceiling.

 

To his surprise Ianto followed in hesitantly with the second verse while transferring Gwen’s books to the bag. “ _You can be addicted to a certain kind of sadness. Like resignation to the end, always the end….._ ”

 

Rhys continued, “ _So when we found that we could not make sense, well you said that we could still be friends…._ ”

 

Ianto had stopped emptying the bookshelf and instead was leaning on it, shoulders hunched up.

 

So quietly Rhys could barely hear him, he sang, “ _But I’ll admit that I was glad that it was over._ ”

 

Abruptly Rhys was furious, on behalf of both himself and Ianto. They deserved better than what they’d gotten. He shoved himself off the couch and slammed a fist into the arm, bellowing out “ _But you didn't have to cut me off. Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing. And I don't even need your love, but you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough. No you didn't have to stoop so low. Have your friends collect your records and then change your number..."_

 

Ianto flinched slightly at that.

 

“ _...I guess that I don't need that though. Now you're just somebody that I used to know..._ ”

 

“You want a beer?” Rhys enquired during the instrumental interval. “I’ve got a bloody liquor store in the fridge. Help yourself.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

Ianto moved to the kitchen and peered into the fridge. He skipped over the beer and went straight for the gin. He didn’t bother with a glass. He leaned against the door frame and took a long drink. 

 

“ _Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over. Part of me believing it was always something that I’d done…..._ ”

 

There was a bitter edge to his voice.

 

“ _But I don’t want to live that way, reading into every word you say. You said that you could let it go and I wouldn’t catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know!_ ”

 

They belted out the chorus together, voices blending surprisingly well.

 

“ _But you didn't have to cut me off..._

_Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing_

_And I don't even need your love_

_But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough_

_And you didn't have to stoop so low_

_Have your friends collect yo_ _ur records and then change your number_

_I guess that I don't need that though_

_Now you're just somebody that I used to know_ ”

 

The song came to an end and they stared at each other in awkward silence.

 

“So,” Ianto said conversationally, “That happened.” He took another sip of the gin.

 

Rhys wasn’t quite sure how he felt about what had just occurred. He wasn’t positive but he thought they might have just had a moment. He’d really never been in a situation like this before.

 

Ianto continued, “The way I see it, we’ve got two options here. We could pretend this never happened,”

 

he paused

 

“Or we could go do to the pub and get pissed.”

 

Rhys considered this for a moment.

 

“Could we make fun of happy couples?”

 

Ianto smirked. “Any that we find.”

 

“I’ll get my coat.”

 

He was going through his closet when Ianto called out.

 

“Umm, Rhys? Can I just take this bottle with me?"

 

“Yeah. We’ll need something for the taxi ride.”

 

Ianto smiled. “I like the way you think.”

 

As they left the flat Rhys thought that this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

 

~ One Month (and Many Pub Trips) Later~

 

Ianto grabbed his coat and hurried towards the Hub door, hoping he could get out before anyone noticed him.

 

“Where’re you cutting off to early, Ianto?”

 

Ianto winced. No such luck.

 

“I’m meeting Rhys down at the pub. There’s a match on.”

 

Jack looked at him questioningly."I didn’t realize you two were friends.”

 

Ianto shrugged. “Yeah well, it was inevitable really. Brought together by mutual tragedy and heartbreak and all that.”

 

He smirked at the discomfited look on Jack’s face.

 

A beautiful friendship indeed. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm hoping that posting this will kind of get the ball rolling and motivate me to finish and work on the dozens of other fics I've started and failed to complete. Hopefully there won't be anymore song fics.


End file.
